The Air Force’s X-37B space plane could become an astronaut ambulance

In the event of an emergency aboard the International Space Station
(ISS), astronauts take refuge inside a Russian Soyuz capsule that
remains docked at the station. These vessels have been the only means of
getting to and from the ISS since the Space Shuttle was discontinued
several years ago. While other vehicles are in development, none of them
could effectively serve as a “space ambulance.” The best archetype for
that design might be the mysterious Air Force X-37B space plane.

The Soyuz program is a reliable way of
reaching the ISS and returning home, but it’s a little lacking in
finesse. Reentering the Earth’s atmosphere in a Soyuz exposes passengers
to at least 4.5G of force, and the parachute-aided landings are
surprisingly violent. A study of Soyuz “hard landings” showed that minor
injuries are sustained by astronauts approximately 40% of the time.
Now, imagine if an astronaut were injured on the ISS. Sending them down
in a Soyuz could make the situation much worse.

Even the vehicles being developed by companies
like SpaceX and Boeing use similar capsule designs that land with
parachutes (though SpaceX is also toying with propulsive landing). They
might be gentler, but the best way to transport an injured astronaut
would be with a space plane. Ideally, transporting an injured crew
member back to Earth should include minimal G-loads and take no longer than three hours.

The Air Force’s semi-secret space plane is
currently not suitable as an astronaut ambulance, but a private firm
called Sierra Nevada is using the design as inspiration for its Dream
Chaser space plane. The X-37B launches attached to a rocket and glides
in for a landing, just like the Space Shuttle used to. This vehicle is
currently in the middle of its fourth mission, which began in May 2015.
This vehicle has logged millions of miles in space, proving that it’s
an effective design. One notable difference is that Dream Chaser would
be a piloted craft, whereas the X-37B is entirely remote.

It’s smaller than you think.

At the same time, former astronaut Stephen Robinson is promoting the idea that the Air Force could repurpose the X-37B
design as an orbital rescue craft. Like the Dream Chaser, it would need
to be a manned vehicle with a pilot as a backup for automated systems.
There would be room for two passengers in addition; one patient and a
medical officer. Robinson suggests that the revamped X-37B could launch
to the ISS carrying cargo, then remain docked for use in the event of an
emergency.

Both the reimagined X37B and the Dream Chaser
are just hypotheticals right now, with no firm plans to begin
construction. However, as human spaceflight accelerates, we will
eventually need a space plane vehicle capable of softer landings.

The Air Force’s X-37B space plane could become an astronaut ambulance
Reviewed by Chidinma C Amadi
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